SCRIPTURE:
Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” Isaiah 6:8 (NLT)
MESSAGE:
Is faith supposed to be public or private? Are Christians called to preach to people? Are you satisfied with the spiritual state of the people closest to you?
We live in an age when simply saying “Merry Christmas” offends people, and a growing number of detractors are attacking Christianity as intolerant. Many modern classrooms and media outlets lay the blame of countless historical and modern tragedies squarely at the feet of the Christian Faith. It is easy to see why so many followers of Christ tend to withdraw to the safety or their churches and prayer closets. They have been told that faith is a private matter and should not be discussed or displayed in the public arena.
For years, the Church has been accused of hypocrisy, and truthfully we have often deserved it. Still, I don’t know of any Church-based hypocrisy that even comes close to that which is demonstrated by modern humanism. According to the preachers of modern western culture, faith is private but sexuality should be on display for the whole world to see. Your love for Christ should be kept inside your church or home, but the sorted and immoral love lives of the societal elite are broadcast on nearly every media outlet. Really? Is this the kind of culture that our parents, grandparents and fore-parents fought and died for? Forgetting, for a moment, our right to speak about faith, let’s talk about our responsibility to do so.
Jesus understood, better than anyone, the cost and necessity of the Cross. His mission was to reconcile us to God. He came to save “that which was lost.” (Matt 18:1) Having given us free-will, however, it was not enough to simply die for our sins, Jesus had to let everyone know that He had become the pathway to God and give us the opportunity to join Him in God’s Kingdom. That is why He commissioned His followers to “go and make disciples…” (Matt 28:19)
Here are seven quick reasons why every believer should tell others about the Good News of Jesus Christ:
- It is an Order: As we just discussed, Jesus told His followers to “go and make disciples.” That is really hard to do if no one knows you are one yourself.
- It’s What God Sent Us For: To His followers, Jesus said, “the Father sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21)
- To Follow Jesus: Jesus told Peter and Andrew that if they would follow Him, He would make them “fishers of men” (Matt 4:19)
- To Save the Lost: How awesome it is that we get to join Jesus in delivering the captives. (Luke 4: 18-19)
- There’s Only One Way: If there were many ways to God as some would have us believe, then telling people the Good News would not be that important. The problem with this philosophy however, is that Jesus clearly said, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.” (John 14:6)
- To Demonstrate Wisdom: The wise King Solomon said, “He who wins souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30)
- To Save Our Culture: The Bible says, “When the righteous are increased, the people rejoice; But when the wicked rule the people groan.” (Proverbs 29:2)
PRAYER:
Father, help us live our faith as a light for all the world to see. Draw those around us toward Your Spirit and teach us to share Your Good News so others will come to follow Jesus Christ as Lord. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.